Snags for a good cause

Members of a local State Emergency Services unit are hoping many hungry mouths will come from far and wide to support their fundraising event this weekend.

The Serpentine Jarrahdale SES unit will be hosting a sausage sizzle this Sunday, January 26, with all funds going towards the rebuild of a SES unit in New South Wales.

Serpentine Jarrahdale SES unit manager Martin Seward said he was recently in Sydney and read that the Batemans Bay SES unit had sustained significant damage as a result of the recent bushfires.

Returning to Perth, Mr Seward spoke to his crew and he said they were all in support of fundraising for their fellow comrades in orange over the other side of the country.

“We are only too happy to support other units that have lost equipment or buildings,” he said.

“They have been tirelessly working hard in the background assisting and supporting other emergency services to combat the raging bushfires throughout New South Wales and now they need help.”

Batemans Bay SES Deputy unit commander Harley Dengate said the crew had a fire plan in place and managed to get most of the equipment out of the line of fire but there was still a lot of equipment destroyed in the blaze.

“The current fire started mid to late November and started 20 to 30 kilometres north of our unit and it slowly made its way down south,” he said.

“On New Year’s Eve morning it moved quickly into Batemans Bay, forcing many to evacuate.”

Mr Dengate said the fire destroyed the unit’s 10-year-old building, forcing the crew to work out of a mobile command centre until just recently when they were handed the keys to an old community services building.

“We are very thankful for the SJ SES support, it is touching really,” he said.

“Another SES unit in Queensland has also offered to help and all monies received will be used to help rebuild our supplies and equipment.”

The fundraiser will be held at Bunnings Forrestdale this Sunday from 11am.